Grapevine named &#39;EARLY SAUVIGNON&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine named ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the temperate regions, and characterized by its strong vigor; erect growth habit; wedge-shaped leaves with medium texture; medium weight and conical shaped berry clusters; early maturing, firm berry flesh with no coloration and neutral taste primarily for winemaking; early harvesting time; and resistance to winter temperatures (to −22° C.), resistance to downy mildew and tolerance to powdery mildew.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Vitis×vinifera (hybrid)

VARIETY NAME

‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct summer/fall bearing grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’.

The new grapevine ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors in Udine, Italy. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new grapevine variety particularly characterized by resistance to cold (<−20° C.), resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and tolerance to powdery mildew (Uncinula necator).

The new grapevine ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2002 in Udine, Italy. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety Vitis vinifera ‘Sauvignon’ (unpatented), and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety Vitis ‘20/3’ (Bianca×SK77-4/5) (unpatented).

The new grapevine ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ was discovered and selected by the inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2002 in Udine, Italy. Asexual reproduction of the new grapevine variety by grafting was first performed in February 2004 in Rauscedo, Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the temperate regions with average yearly temperature about 13° C., minimum winter temperature about −20° C., annual rainfall around 700-1500 mm of rain (e.g. North-Eastern Italy, Friuli). This region provides the necessary year-round temperatures required for it to produce and maintain a strong vigorous plant with consistent fruit production from April through November on primocanes and in the ensuing year from April through November on the floricanes.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine plant as a new and distinct variety.

-   1. Strong vigor; -   2. Erect growth habit; -   3. Wedge-shaped leaves with a medium green upper surface and light     green lower surface and a medium texture; -   4. Fruit clusters with medium weight, conical shape, firm berry     flesh with neutral taste, and no flesh coloration, early maturity     (end of August in Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Italy); and primarily     used for wine. -   5. Primocanes and floricanes with an elliptic cross section,     brownish color, no lenticels, and small internodes of 8 mm diameter; -   6. Early harvesting time, at end of August in Middle Friuli,     North-Eastern Italy; and -   7. Resistance to winter temperature (−22° C.), resistance to downy     mildew, and tolerant to powdery mildew, if overripening is allowed     it is susceptible to cluster rots.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ differ from plants of the parents, Vitis vinifera ‘Sauvignon’ (unpatented) and Vitis ‘20/3’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Varieties New Cultivar Female Parent Male Parent Charac- ‘EARLY ‘Sauvignon’ ‘20/3’ teristic SAUVIGNON’ (unpatented) (unpatented) vigor strong medium medium growth erect semi-erect semi-erect habit leaf medium, med- medium, Medium size, ium green col- medium green light green or (upper sur- color (upper color (upper face), light surface), pale surface), green green color green color color (lower (lower surface), (lower surface), surface), no no hairs in both prostrate hairs hairs in both surfaces, wedge- on upper surface: surfaces, wedge- shaped, medium present, high den- shaped-kidney- texture, sity of prostrate shaped, medium hairs on lower texture surface, circular shape, medium texture cluster medium weight, very low weight, low weight, con- conical with cylindrical-coni- ical, with 1-2 two wings, med- cal, with 1-2 wings, medium ium dense, berry wings, dense, dense, berry skin skin with green berry skin with with green-yellow color, firm flesh, green-yellow color, color, slightly firm neutral taste, slightly firm flesh, flesh, neutral taste, no flesh color- aromatic taste, no no flesh coloration ation flesh coloration primo- elliptic cross circular cross sec- oblate cross sec- cane and section, tion, brownish col- tion, brownish floricane brownish color, or, lenticels: absent, color, lenticels: lenticels: absent, short-medium absent, medium short-medium internodes, diam- internodes, diam- internodes, di- eter small (about eter small (about ameter: small 8 mm) 8 mm) (about 8 mm) harvest - early (late Au- medium (early Early (late August, ing time gust in Middle September in Mid- Middle Friuli, Friuli, North- dle Friuli, North- North-Eastern Eastern Italy), Eastern Italy) Italy) resis- resistant to Average resistance resistant to winter tances winter temper- to winter tempera- temperature not ature (−22° C.), ture (−15° C.), sus- known, resistant resistant to ceptible to downy to downy mildew, downy mildew, mildew, susceptible resistant to pow- tolerant to pow- to powdery mildew dery mildew dery mildew, when overripe susceptible to cluster rots.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ is the female parent ‘Sauvignon’, to which a comparison has been provided above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show typical fruit clusters of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, taken on Aug. 30, 2012 in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf (upper surface, left and lower surface, right) of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, taken on Jun. 1, 2012 in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 3 shows a typical mature vine of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, taken on Aug. 3, 2012.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of typical mature fruit of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, taken on Aug. 30, 2012 in Udine, Italy

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations taken during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 growing seasons in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy, from plants dug from a nursery located in Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Rauscedo (PN), Italy during the beginning of December 2007 and planted approximately 16 to 20 weeks later in Udine, Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending upon variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions. ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.

TABLE 3 Detailed Botanical Description ‘EARLY Sauvignon Characteristic SAUVIGNON’ (unpatented) GENERAL Resistance to Resistant to downy Susceptible to downy pest/disease mildew, tolerant to mildew and to pow- powdery mildew dery mildew Resistance to Resistant to winter Resistant to winter natural elements cold down to −22° C. cold down to −15° C. VINE vigor strong medium Trunk diameter  6.5  6.5 Bark color Dark brown Dark brown underbark color Light brown Light brown texture n.a. n.a. Canes length Internode length Internode length cm 9 about cm 11 Width (diameter) 8 mm 8 mm Shoots shape Erected, cross section: Semi-erected, cross oblate, surface: with section: circular, surface: stripes, nodes and smooth, nodes and inter- internodes without nodes without hairs hairs color internodes with red Internodes with green and green pigmentation color on ventral and on both sides, nodes dorsal side, nodes with with red and green dor- green ventral and dorsal sal side and green ven- side tral side Tendrils form Bifid or trifid bifid color Green Green texture normal normal number 2 or <2 consecutive 2 or <2 consecutive Buds size average average shape round round color Light brown Light brown number 2/node 2/node time of budbreak early early-medium LEAVES Size small-medium medium Number of leaflets  5  5 Glossiness Medium-high medium Cross section V-shaped V-shaped shape Color (immature) Upper surface Pale green Pale green Under surface Pale green Pale green Color (mature) Upper surface Medium green Medium green Under surface Darker green Darker green Petiole Length (cm)  6.2  6.0 Color (upper green green surface) Color (under Sometimes reddish green surface) Stipule orientation n.a. n.a. FLOWERS Flowering period End of May End of May (time of beginning of flowering) Sex hermaphrodite hermaphrodite Size Average average Diameter (cm) 0.3 (stamens) 0.3 (stamens) Fragrance average average Flower number (at n.a. n.a. 3^(rd) node from tip of lateral mean and range) Petals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape calyptra calyptra Color (immature) green green Upper surface Under surface Color (mature) green green Upper surface Under surface Sepals None None Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape n.a. n.a. Color (immature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Color (mature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Pedicel Length (mm)  7  7 Color green green FRUIT Primocane time of August 25th September 7th fruiting (1^(st) pick) Clusters cluster weight Low (g 170) Low (g 230) cluster shape conical conical cluster length mm 180 medium avg. berries per 200 220 cluster avg. clusters per  2  2 shoot Berries Berry size g 1.8 g 1.0 Berry length (cm)  1.76  1.50 Berry width (cm)  1.56  1.50 Overall shape of broad ellipsoid globose berry Berry Texture soft soft Berry Color green green (immature) Berry Color green green (mature) Soluble solids (%)  22.6  21.1 Titratable acidity  4.6  5.7 (as g/L tartaric acid) Sugar/acid ratio  4.9  3.7 Firmness soft soft Seeds 2-3 2-3 Skin cracking? no rarely Juice color transparent transparent Berry taste neutral neutral Eating quality n.a. n.a. Berry uses wine wine Shipping quality n.a. n.a. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine, referred to as ‘EARLY SAUVIGNON’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 